Wednesday, March 30, 2022

Acting Ensign Arnold Harris USN-- Part 2: The Attack on Confederate Fort Clifton in Virginia

From the United States Congressional Set:  Report of Secretary of Navy.

Report of Acting Volunteer Lt.  Amos P. Foster, commanding the USS Commodore Perry.

June 23, 1864

"...Acting Ensign Arnold H. Harris, in command of  army gunboat Chamberlain,  came on board this vessel at 6:30 a.m.  of the 16th instant, and said that General Butler requested me to open fire as soon as possible  on Fort Clifton."

He fired 47 percussion shells at the fort and he said they did damage.

Ens. Harris and Lt.  Bullard, of Brigadier General  Graham's staff came on board.  Lt. Bullard had been ordered to come on board and request he open fire again on Fort Clifton early on the morning of June 17.  He did just that, but on the second shot from his 100-pounder Parrott rifle, it blew up, killing and wounding many.

I'll write about the explosion of the Parrott rifle in the next post.

--Old B-Runner


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